LINCOLN TRAIL LIBRARIES SYSTEM

AFFILIATE INFORMATION AGENCY POLICY

Approved February 22, 1993

Revised ?

The Lincoln Trail Libraries System Long Range Strategic Plan for Library Services and Development includes a goal to promote cooperation and communication between libraries and the broadest range of information, community and government agencies and organizations strategic direction to expand and optimize core information services through partnerships with public and private agencies. Partnerships with public and private agencies are essential in todayπs society to meet information and educational needs. To accomplish this strategic direction, LTLS has adopted an To this end and to more formally recognize and define special cooperative relationships between Lincoln Trail Libraries System, its members, and other agencies, the Membership Committee recommends the initiation of an "Affiliate Information Agency" membership designation., effective immediately.

An Affiliate Information Agency is defined as any agency that offers information in a format that can be useful to citizens and libraries in the Lincoln Trail service area. Affiliate Information Agency examples could include a library that does not qualify for membership in Lincoln Trail, a government organization, a museum, a virtual content provider, or a local community group.

The purpose of this such designation would be is to identify unique cooperative ventures which would will benefit the System and its members as well as to further the goals of a specific affiliate information agency by means of cooperative planning, service provision, and/or regular communication partnering with that agency to help meet their information and educational needs. The System's relationship with each Affiliate Information Agency, by the nature of this policy's intent, will be is somewhat unique.

Examples of potential cooperative activities between Information Affiliates and the System include, but are not limited to, the following:

Ä Sharing newsletters, membership lists directories, publications, web-based information, and member rates, and staff expertise ;

Ä Publicizing appropriate events and services to each others' members;

Ä Co-sponsoring continuing education events and/or negotiating discounts for attendance at each others' conferences, etc.;

Ä Working with information affiliates to organize or archive content through electronic medium.

Ä Identifying and offering designated services at member fees and/or identifying one special service of common interest and developing that service fully to the benefit of LTLS members and the Information Affiliate Agency (e.g., libraries hosting a traveling exhibit from an art museum; developing a joint Cooperative Extension Service/library community information database; entering into a special educational film cooperative resource sharing agreement; co-sponsoring literacy awareness events; contracting for specialized delivery service).

To qualify for Affiliate Information Agency designation, agencies must:

Ä Be willing to designate a contact person for Affiliate Information Agency communication and interaction with the System;

Ä Provide information which identifies the organizationπs governing authority and describes the mission of the agency as well as its scope of activities and the population served by these activities.

Ä Sign, in cooperation with LTLS at the initial membership agreement, an annual "letter principles of cooperation" document outlining intent and scope of specific jointly-agreed upon cooperative activities unique to the Agency and the System. This letter should be reviewed every 5 years by the System and the agency to determine if the Information Affiliate designation should continue.

ÄSign an agreement for areas of responsibility that will be accomplished during the 5 year period of the cooperative arrangement.

Ä Be willing to share appropriate communications as agreed upon with the System, and agree to attend at least one informal planning meeting or event annually in order to facilitate cooperation with LTLS and/or other Affiliate Agencies as appropriate to update information yearly through an Affiliate Information Agency annual checklist.

Lincoln Trail Libraries System agrees to:

Ä Designate a staff person as primary contact for each Affiliate Information Agency;

Ä Sign, in cooperation with each Affiliate Agency at the initial membership agreement, an annual "letter principles of cooperation" document outlining intent and scope of specific jointly-agreed upon cooperative activities unique to the Agency and the System. This letter should be reviewed every 5 years by the System and the agency to determine if the Information Affiliate designation should continue.

ÄSign an agreement for areas of responsibility that will be accomplished during the 5 year period of the cooperative arrangement.

Ä Share appropriate communications as agreed upon with the Affiliate Information Agency, and to organize at least one informal planning meeting or event annually in order to facilitate cooperation with Affiliate Information Agencies;

Ä Offer cost-recovery design and print shop services to Affiliate Agencies.

Affiliate Information Agency status does not qualify an agency or institution for:

Ä Illinois Library and Information Network (ILLINET) membership privileges;

Ä extensive LTLS staff consulting on library development issues;

Ä regular System van delivery service.

Any current member of Lincoln Trail Libraries System which does not meet minimum System membership eligibility requirements (as outlined in the LTLS Plan of Service signed by all members in 1989) by July 1, 1993 may be considered for Affiliate Information Agency status in accordance with the above guidelines.